Fitch, Frassenei To Lead Brandywine Cross Country, Track & Field Teams

MEDIA, Pennsylvania -- Penn State Brandywine Director of Athletics Jim Gastner announced on Tuesday that Angela Fitch and Joe Frassenei have been selected to lead the Lions' men's and women's cross country and track and field teams. Fitch will serve as the head track & field coach and assistant cross country coach, while Frassenei is charged with leading the cross country squads and assisting with the track & field teams.

Fitch is the first-ever head coach for the newly-created track & field teams, which will begin varsity competition during the spring of the 2017-18 academic year. She brings over a decade of coaching experience at the college, club and high school levels to Brandywine.

Most recently, Fitch coached track & field at Kell High School in Marietta, Ga., for four years. While at Kell, Fitch led the girl's team to a third-place showing in the state, while helping mentor four 2016 graduates who received NCAA Division I scholarships.

From 2006-2014, Fitch was a USA Track & Field independent coach, where she taught fundamentals and techniques of all track & field events, while also coordinating team travel arrangments. Fitch earned her USA Track & Field Level I coaching certification in June 2016 and is a USATF certified official as well.

Fitch's coaching career began in 2001 at NCAA Division II Bowie State as she served as the women's sprint and hurdles coach. During her three-year stint at Bowie State, Fitch mentored 10 NCAA All-Americans, while also aiding in academic advisement and recruiting.

A two-year member of the track & field teams at LaSalle University, Fitch was an NCAA indoor qualifier at the 60-meter sprint after winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship. She completed her bachelor's degree in education at Coppin State University and earned a master's degree in the same field from McDaniel College.

Frassenei comes to Brandywine from Woodstown High School in New Jersey where he spent the last 25 years as head girl's track coach and 17 years as head girl's cross country coach. Additionally, he spent over a decade as the school's wrestling coach.

Also a physical education and health teacher at Woodstown, Frassenei built one of the top cross country and track & field programs in the state, serving as a mentor to hundreds of student-athletes and assistant coaches during his time with each program. Frassenei also established and ran fundraising programs to benefit teams and student-athletes.

Frassenei owns a bachelor's degree in education from West Chester University and a master's degree in school leadership from Wilmington University.